Featured Tractor of Butler County Show

By Staff
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This 1918 Avery 14-28 tractor was featured at the Butler County Antique Machinery Show in Oxford, Ohio last summer.
This 1918 Avery 14-28 tractor was featured at the Butler County Antique Machinery Show in Oxford, Ohio last summer.
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Hard to believe this month's cover tractor once looked like this!
Hard to believe this month's cover tractor once looked like this!

5064 Fye Road Hamilton, Ohio 45013

I recently attended the Butler County Antique Machinery Show
near Oxford, Ohio of which I am a member.

The featured tractor on the show pin and plaque was an Avery,
14-28, 1918 owned by Dale Miner of Fairfield, Ohio.

I noticed the tractor was restored to picture-perfect condition.
I caught up to Mr. Miner and asked if I could take some pictures
and do a story on it. And this is what he told me about it:

The Avery originally came from Finchville, Kentucky and after
four owners Mr. Miner became the fifth owner.

When Mr. Miner went to pick up the tractor it was in sad
condition. A few of the previous owners started to restore the
tractor but gave up. The Avery was very run down. The canopy was
completely gone, fenders missing, front wheels bent, rear wheels
deeply pitted and the engine was rusted tight.

Mr. Miner tore right into it, full steam ahead. The sleeves were
badly pitted so new ones were cast and machined. Having his own
machine shop saved a lot of time and money. The crankshaft was
badly pitted and was torn down thirty thousandths, all bearings
were repoured and machined. The cam cover had a piece broken out of
the side and had to be welded and milled. The radiator was a
project of it own. Someone took an axe to it. Mr. Miner made new
copper tubes for it and sheet metal became a lot of trial and error
but ended as a fine job.

The canopy was completely gone except for the cast iron mount
pieces. Mr. Miner had to contact a gentleman that has an Avery to
get the needed measurements to reproduce it.

New fenders were made from a pattern of what was left of the
fenders after an average of four hours a day and twelve hours on
weekends of sanding, cleaning and painting.

A blue ribbon winner was the finish!

Mr. Miner also has a Case 65 HP steam engine and a half scale
version which he made himself. He is a very talented man!

  • Published on May 1, 1989
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